A Different Lake Laogai
by Skymia
Summary: "Is this your new boyfriend?" Jet demands menacingly. Appa's still lost, but marketplace drama between Jet and Katara cause a fight!


Disclaimer: Copyright belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.

Based on: Lake Laogai (Season 2, Episode 17)

The sunlight left a glimmer on the pretty jade roof tiles of Ba Sing Se. Within the house courtyard, laughter lingered in the air. A red balloon was tied to Aang's air glider as he soared through the spacious area. The Fire Nation's insignia had been hastily painted on the balloon by none other than Sokka.

"To protect the Water Tribe, one must know how to defeat the Fire Nation on land and in air," Sokka said tersely, holding his boomerang. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, and his cheeks were smeared with war paint. Katara entered the courtyard, and walked over to Sokka hiding in a bush.

"Sokka, what are you doing?" Katara lifted an eyebrow.

"Defending our home," he replied, his eyes still trained on Aang. "Firebenders can't fly, but they have hot air balloons." He added. Seconds passed as Sokka aimed his boomerang.

"Hyaaa! Take that, Fire Nation scum!" he yelled.

"Can't catch me!" Aang chuckled from the air.

"Well, we're out of food. I'm going to the marketplace," Katara turned on her heels.

She disappeared out of the courtyard entrance. The boomerang tip caught the red balloon, puncturing through the elastic immediately. Sokka's eyes widened as the boomerang tore through the air glider's fabric wings as well.

"Oh no! Ahhh!" Aang gasped, flailing.

Aang sailed towards the ground amid Sokka's shouting. He somersaulted off the air glider before it crashed.

"Aang! Are you okay?! I'm so sorry! The boomerang was sharper than I thought," Sokka apologized profusely.

Aang landed safely on the ground, but his air glider was partially wrecked.

"I'm fine, Sokka." Aang looked at his friend. His expression turned to one of dejection. "But what about my glider? First Appa, now this."

"Look, we'll find Appa. He's somewhere in the city. For now, why don't we get your glider fixed?" Sokka spoke in a consoling tone. He watched Aang nod feebly as he picked up his boomerang from the floor.

.

Earthy aromas from fresh vegetables mingled with routine marketplace chatter. Katara browsed through baskets of fruits and vegetables while a cabbage seller nearby could be heard hawking his wares.

"I wonder how much this costs?" Katara murmured. She inspected a juicy pear in her hand. At the side of the store, the shopkeeper unloaded new produce, not noticing Katara. The shopkeeper's lanky son, a 16-year-old boy approached Katara instead.

"For you, almost nothing at all," he smiled.

"It's alright. I'll pay the full price. Please, how much is this?" Katara enquired.

"I'm serious. You're beautiful." The boy continued, still looking at Katara thoughtfully. He wasn't very good looking, but no one could say he was ugly either.

Katara's facial features tightened, and she spoke coolly.

"Thanks. I'll be on my way..." she turned away. At the corner of the next street, crisp smells of roasted meat wafted through the air. Rows of cooked poultry were displayed at each stall.

Chicken, duck, pig and imported animals could be seen as customers strolled around. Coming to a standstill in front of one store, Katara smiled at the sight of neatly cut meat.

"The boys would love this," she spoke softly, as her eyes moved towards the plump roasted duck hanging on display. An elderly vendor looked kindly upon Katara.

"Sir, how much for the roasted duck?" Katara asked eagerly.

"That'll be twelve copper pieces, but we could bargain a lower price," he smiled.

"How about eight?" Katara offered.

"Hmm, it's worth at least ten," he said thoughtfully.

"Nine coppers," Katara tried.

"Nine and a half coppers and it's yours," the vendor said with finality.

"I'm sorry; I really can't afford more than nine copper pieces." Katara cringed slightly.

A voice spoke beside her, and Katara recognized it as the shopkeeper's son from the vegetable stall. He brushed aside his brown hair as he talked to the meat vendor.

"Old man, my mom is bringing over the cumin spices tomorrow. Why don't you give this lovely lady a lower price?" the boy grinned.

"Oh! She is?" the vendor's expression changed to one of delight. "Okay, I'm in such a good mood, eight and a half copper pieces it is!" he told Katara as he began wrapping the duck for easy carrying.

Katara faced the vendor, but her eyes were on the boy as she gave her thanks. As Katara handed the money over, the boy slipped a bag full of pears, apples, and mangoes into Katara's basket.

"Take these back!" Katara gasped. She looked at the boy with a mixture of horror and anger.

"My name is Haoyi, and you're welcome," he smirked.

"I refuse to steal from your mother's store." Katara insisted, growing infuriated with every word.

Haoyi chuckled. His tone turned flippant.

"Will you go on a date with me tonight?" he asked.

Katara was appalled.

"No!" she snapped, fully agitated now. The water bender removed the bag full of pears, apples, and mangoes from her basket, and strode back towards Haoyi's store.

"Look, I told my mom it was for someone in need," he argued. "You don't have to do this," he pleaded.

Katara didn't even look at him. She continued walking, anger twisting her normally kind features.

"I don't date crooks," her voice was sharp.

Haoyi followed closely alongside Katara, still arguing. Unbeknown to them, Jet watched them from the shadows of an alley. The silhouette of the Freedom Fighters popped out behind him. Haoyi and Katara walked past the cabbage seller, still bickering. Jet unmasked himself from the shadows, pulling Katara's arm roughly.

"Is this your new boyfriend?" he demanded menacingly.

Katara's lips parted; her eyes widened. She blushed profusely, as her expression turned to one of rage.

"Ugh!" Katara drew back in embarrassment and disbelief. "What's it to you? Leave me alone, Jet!" she cried out. Her cheeks held a red hotness; her emotions threatened to erupt.

"Katara, how could you cheat on me?" Jet continued. He lifted his free hand to touch her cheek. Katara slapped it away.

"I'm not – we're not even TOGETHER, Jet!" Katara raised her voice in frustration.

"It's not over till I say it is." Jet frowned.

Haoyi stepped up beside Katara, his stance confident.

"She said to leave her alone," Haoyi repeated.

Jet scoffed, as he eyed Haoyi. His gaze returned to Katara, whose cheeks were still flaming.

"He doesn't look like much. Not your type, Katara." Jet said, his lips curling into a smirk. Tilting his chin at Haoyi, Jet's words took on an aggressive tone.

"Katara's into leaders with power." Jet said.

"She's clearly not into you anymore." Haoyi retorted smugly.

Jet's smirk vanished.

"What did you say?" his voice turned threatening; he grasped Haoyi's collar, pushing him against the wall of a store.

"STOP IT, JET! I don't know why you're here, but it can't be good!" Katara burst in. Haoyi glanced at her.

"This is a fight between men." Haoyi spoke fearlessly. He pushed Jet backwards, and grabbed a cabbage. Crushing one immediately, he grabbed another, ready to use them as ammunition.

"My cabbages!" the cabbage seller wailed.

"Ugh! I hate chauvinists too!" Katara said as she clenched her fists.

Aang could be seen collecting his repaired air glider from a nearby stall. He walked over at the commotion that had caused a small crowd to gather. Among them was Zuko, hodded.

"You haven't changed at all!" Aang heard Katara's voice.

"My feelings for you haven't changed either," Jet responded with a tinge of sentiment.

The blush on Katara's cheeks had disappeared, as she laced her next words with venom.

"You have no feelings!" her face distorted with rage as she continued, "You're nothing but a liar, Jet!" Aang moved through the crowd politely, and entered the space.

"Katara, what's going on – Jet?" Aang looked back and forth between them.

"Ooh, look, the mighty AVATAR is here!" Jet spoke mockingly. Zuko's eyes widened.

"Jet, we have nothing more to say to you," Aang replied diplomatically. He stepped to Katara's side, adding, "Please leave us alone."

"You know the Avatar?" Haoyi asked Katara incredulously.

"Now is not the time for this, Haoyi." Katara closed her eyes, too stressed to answer.

Jet slid his hooked swords against each other, deliberately leaving a shrill metallic sound ringing through the air. Katara shoved Haoyi behind her, sensing the tension building.

"Hey, market boy! Ready when you are." Jet taunted. Katara's eyes narrowed at him.

"Don't drag more innocent people into this, Jet." She growled. Katara drew water from an empty fish tank nearby. Transforming it into a water whip, she lashed at Jet's ankle. The agile warrior jumped back without missing a step. Katara sent another water whip at Jet's arm. He stepped aside, sprinting towards Katara. He aimed one hooked sword at the corner of Katara's dress.

"He's not innocent. He could be a Fire Nation spy," Jet called.

"Hyu-ahh!" Katara let out a battle cry. She water bended a small whirlpool, still drawing from the fish tank. The whirlpool twisted Jet's hooked swords out of his hand. They were deposited a little distance away, when the water melted into a puddle. Jet's expression turned dark. He leapt to a nearby stall and knocked crates of apples at Katara. He sprinted to a spot behind her with the distraction.

Katara twirled around, bending a water wall as she went. It formed a cylinder-like defense. The crowd surrounding them cheered excitedly. Zuko moved discreetly to get a better view. Aang moved to the middle of Jet and Katara's sparring.

"Katara! Jet! Please stop fighting. Let's find a way around this," Aang pleaded.

Jet hopped backward to his original spot. Katara let her water wall shatter.

"Move aside, Aang." She said, her eyes betraying nothing other than determination.

The Freedom Fighters watched the crowd with interest. Pipsqueak, Smellerbee and Longshot talked with Haoyi amicably.

"Jet won't back down from a fight," explained Smellerbee.

"How do you know Jet?" Haoyi asked, his head still turned towards the action unfolding.

"We're the Freedom Fighters," proclaimed Pipsqueak.

"We fight for justice; against the Fire Nation. Jet's our leader, and we are only loyal to him." Smellerbee said, a pinch of pride in her voice.

Katara drew water from two barrels at a carriage parked by the roadside. She water bended a tidal wave at Jet. Jet fell, soaked, but stood up quickly. He hoisted himself upwards, to the rooftop of nearby stalls, scraping roof tiles as he ran along the edge. His metal hooked swords flicked them at Katara.

"Katara!" Aang yelled in warning.

Two roof tiles grazed Katara's arm while she water bended a frozen water wall. One of the roof tiles cut into her skin, and drops of blood fell.

"You're despicable, Jet!" she grimaced. Aang began running to her side. Katara focused on Jet. She let out another battle cry as she hurled a water stream at Jet. Her uncontrollable rage was evident in the strong current of water. Jet swung his hooked swords outward in another offense attack. Aang felt himself hit by both water and weapon in the crossfire of the battle. Knocked to the ground instantly, he fell unconscious.

"Aang! Aang! Are you alright?" Katara rushed to the air bender's body. Aang began to cough violently, as he spat out water.

"Uhh… Katara," he mumbled weakly.

"Smellerbee, Pipsqeak and Longshot!" Jet smirked as he called his gang with a hand signal.

"Just what do you think you're doing?!" she demanded, turning to look at them. Her eyes burned with fury.

"Sorry, Katara. We'll explain later." Pipsqueak rumbled. Longshot shot a huge net on them, trapping both benders immediately.

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_Thank you for reading! Written for my college-level TV Writing class, this is Part 1 of 2 (or 3)._


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